The Beginning
by OnceUponAShipper
Summary: Where it all started for Regina and Emma. The moment they realized there was something between them. SwanQueen
1. Step 1

**A/N** - I've fixed the dates! Hopefully it makes more sense now!

* * *

It happened July 14, 2013. Emma asked Regina out on a date; their first date. Originally, Emma had considered having a couple drinks before making her move, but she ultimately decided she'd probably have a better chance if she weren't drunk.

For months, a connection between her and Regina began to intensify. Neither one of them mentioned it, but they knew it was there. At least- Emma knew it was. Either way, the sheriff had made up her mind to go to the mayor's home, knock on her door, and ask her out.

Emma spent her Saturday at the water, where Henry's old castle had been. If the spot proved comfort for him, it would have to work for her... right? It was a cool summer day in the small town of Storybrooke. The light breeze kept Emma focused as she watched incoming waves. The water clashed against the rocks, as if the two elements of earth were fighting. The blue sky above Emma had scattered clouds that swirled against one another. The sun was nowhere to be found, which only encouraged Emma to think harder.

She never wanted to like Regina. She never even wanted to be her friend. But, feelings had started to creep inside Emma's heart- feelings she'd only even felt once before and that person was long gone. In the previous few weeks, whenever she dropped Henry off at Regina's house, Emma found herself stammering and blushing. That only resulted in a reproachful, "Ms. Swan" from Regina. Emma didn't care what Regina said to her, she just wanted her to keep talking. That voice, God, that voice drew Emma in.

She couldn't understand how these emotions had formed, considering all that Regina had done, and everything the townspeople said about her. She was supposed to hate the Evil Queen, wasn't she? Emma's childhood was ripped away by that woman, she should want revenge, right? Why was she attracted to someone who had done everything in her power to get rid of her?

Emma didn't dare discuss her confusing thoughts with anyone, seeing as everyone around her had problems with Regina. She hadn't even told Henry of her feelings towards his other mother. To top it off, Emma wasn't even gay! Was she? All Emma knew, was that she was attracted to Regina Mills. She also knew, she wanted nothing more than to spend a night with Regina, just to learn about the woman.

At some point, Emma started thinking about Neal. He hadn't been gone two months, and Emma had begun to have feelings for another person. For a moment, Emma thought it was just a rebound crush; that she felt this way towards someone else because Neal wasn't there. But who was she kidding? She felt attraction to Regina long before Neal even came back. She _did _love him, though. She just wasn't _in_ love with him. There was a big difference.

The blonde stayed at the beach the whole day and went back and forth on whether or not to ask Regina. As the sky began to darken, Emma made her way back into town and practiced possible lines to herself. "'Regina, I know this sounds weird, but, will you go out with me?' No. Uh, Regina, I was wondering if you'd wanna grab a bite to eat?' Nah. 'Hey, Regina, can I buy you dinner?' She's never going to say yes." The closer Emma got to the mayor's mansion, the clammier her hands became. "Like a band-aid," Emma told herself. "Just do it. Wait- that's Nike."

Regina's yard was as clean and neat as ever. Careful not to disturb the peace, Emma took baby steps up the brick walkway and fought the urge to turn and leave. Even if she had, it was too late. Regina had spotted Emma from the window and opened the front door before Emma could even knock.

"Can I help you Ms. Swan?" Regina asked coldly. Emma stood on the front steps, her hands at her sides, her mouth agape. "Ms. Swan, I'll kindly ask for you to state your business and leave." Regina wouldn't admit it, but lately, her heart took off every time she saw Emma. She tried to ignore it; act as if it were in her imagination. Regina folded her arms across her chest and creased her forehead. "What do you want?" she snapped.

Emma closed her mouth abruptly and tried to remember why she had come. "I- I.. uh, it's- would-.. Do you-"

"Out with with, Ms. Swan!"

As if Emma had been hit in the head, her words came flooding out in one breath. "I know this is probably stupid, and you're wondering what I'm doing here, but I had to ask you something really important and I was hoping you'd say yes even though it's completely insane and you'll probably say no, but I had to try."

On the inside, Regina's heart skipped a beat, but on the outside, she waited expectantly for Emma to ask her question. "All right, well?" Neither women noticed Henry leaning an ear out of his window, eavesdropping on the whole conversation.

Emma clenched her jaw tightly and took a calming breath. "Do you want to grab dinner sometime?" she blurted out, her eyes closed. When Regina didn't say anything, Emma sighed tiredly. "Never mind. Just, uh, forget I asked. Sorry to waste your time."

Regina watched the back of Emma's head as she left her property. If she was going to say anything, she'd have to do it in that moment. "Ms. Swan," she huffed. Emma stopped at the gate, one hand on the lock. She listened as Regina's footsteps got closer. From his room, Henry felt as though he were watching a movie: the two women were in his line of view, and he couldn't stop watching. "Ms. Swan," Regina said again. "I don't know what stunt you're trying to pull here, but it is _not_ amusing. I suggest you take you and your tricks, and remove them from my estate. For Henry's sake, I'll consider this a warning."

Emma was still facing away from Regina, hiding her smug expression. "For Henry's sake?" she asked as she gradually turned to look the mayor in the eyes.

Regina blinked suddenly as she saw Emma's green orbs staring back at her. "Yes, for Henry's sake. It would do him no good for us to argue again."

"Who's arguing?" Emma edged. She felt a sudden surge of confidence and went on. "You know, we could take Henry with us. If you ever do wanna go out."

"I may not be from this world, Ms. Swan, but I'm sure that a date does not include bringing children."

Emma shrugged casually. "I just figured you'd wanna keep an eye on him; make sure I'm not plotting to steal him."

"You do mean, 'again,' don't you Ms. Swan?" Regina saw the flash of shame in Emma's eyes. To Regina, the truth, however bitter, was still the truth.

"Listen, I'm not trying to take him away. It's a tough time for the kid, I'm just trying to help. The sooner you get that through your head, the better. He's your son, too, and this is his home. As far as the date is concerned, all you had to say was 'no.'" Emma turned away again and began fumbling with the lock on the gate. She hoped that, the longer she stood there, the better chance she'd have with getting an answer. Eventually, Emma gave up and opened the fence for real. Regina lingered behind her and seriously contemplated Emma's offer.

A dejected Emma left the Mills property and slowly trudged down the block. A rustling in the bushes behind her gave her a moment of hope, thinking it was Regina. Alone, once again, Emma continued through town and swore to herself never to tell anyone what happened. She wouldn't be able to handle the humiliation.

* * *

Regina shuffled back into her home and shut the door behind her. With a heavy breath, she leaned against the wall, her eyes closed.

"Mom," a quiet voice called from the base of the stairs.

Regina's eyes flew opened and her face instantly softened, "Yes, dear?"

Henry stood in gym shorts and a gray tee shirt, both too big for him. "Why didn't you say 'yes?'"

Regina felt the heat in her cheeks and suddenly wished she could hide under a rock. "I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about, Henry," she tried to play off.

Henry struggled with whether to admit his crime, one his mother would eventually find out. "I, uh, heard you and Emma talking."

Regina peeled herself off the wall and rested her hands on her hips as she came closer to Henry. "Listening to others' conversations isn't polite, or respectful. I'm disappointed in you."

Henry hung his head low, Regina's words stung him. Regardless of what had happened between Regina and Henry, he never enjoyed disappointing her. "Sorry, Mom," he mumbled.

Regina instantly felt bad as she saw her son's attitude change. She knew he'd been having difficulties coping, and nothing she did had helped. She made sure to ease her tone when speaking again, "Thank you for your apology."

Henry knew he was playing with fire, but he had to ask again. "So? Why didn't you say 'yes?'"

Regina had the feeling her son wouldn't rest until he got a straight answer, but she didn't feel Henry needed to know. "It's... not the right time, Henry."

"Then when is the right time?" For a 13 year-old boy, Henry was incredibly pensive.

"It's almost dinner. I'll cook something for us," Regina said quickly. She was trying her damnedest to change the subject. As she left Henry standing at the stairs, a confused look cemented itself onto his face.

* * *

"Hit me," Emma commanded as she slapped a hand onto the bar counter. The last place she wanted to be as at the apartment. Snow would've been able to see right through her daughter, and the night would've been spent prying for information from both parents. Emma was in no mood to deal with that. She was in no mood to deal with anything, really. Except for vodka shots. Those were fine.

The bar was eerily empty for a Saturday night. Aside from a few guys at the pool table and two at the counter, that was it. Mike, the bartender, didn't seem sad at the fact that dozens of drunk people were absent.

Emma threw her head back and swallowed the harsh taste of alcohol. "Again," she said, breathless. Mike came over and refilled Emma's tiny glass. In one swift movement, it was empty again. "One more," she croaked, her throat burned. Behind her, the neon sign flickered on and off. Seconds later, the whole system began flashing until the lights cut out completely. "Seriously?" she groaned. Emma took out her cell phone and used it as a flashlight. When the circuits didn't turn back on, Emma took it as her cue to go home. She slammed a 10 dollar bill onto the wooden counter and fumbled her way out of the pitch-black room. "So not drunk enough for this," she grumbled. The streetlights had turned on and guided Emma down the sidewalk. Unfortunately, for her, Regina's house was on her way home. She noticed lights on in the window, and Emma could see two figures sitting together. At that moment, she felt a slight buzz coursing through her veins. She knew for sure she wasn't drunk; after all, she could have up to eight shots without getting the least bit hammered. Call it adrenaline, but Emma's inhibitions disappeared completely as she walked up to Regina's front door.

Five loud thumps later, the door swung open and Regina stood across from Emma. "Ms. Swan," Regina rolled her eyes. "Did I not make myself clear earlier?" Emma ignored Regina's question. She felt her legs moving, forcing the rest of her body to close the gap between herself and Regina. "Ms. Swan, you wreak of liquor." Regina tried to step back, but Emma grabbed her arms. "Excuse you!" Henry had jumped up from the dining room table and watched from the doorway. He knew he was going to get an earful when Regina came back, but he didn't care. He wanted to know what was going on!

"Regina," Emma whispered. The brunette crinkled her nose at Emma's breath.

Regina looked down at the pale hands on her and attempted to swat them away. "Ms. Swan, this is highly inappropriate. Please remove-"

Regina was interrupted by a forceful kiss from Emma. Henry's jaw dropped in the background, his whole body frozen in his spot. The lip-lock lasted a good 15 seconds before Emma ripped herself apart from Regina. The blonde was suddenly, painfully conscious of what she had just done. Her grasp on Regina loosened as she started backing away, her eyes filled with tears of embarrassment. Regina stood still, her own eyes closed. "I'm sorry," Emma breathed before running out of the front door that never got shut.

Henry's jaw returned to its normal position as he walked up to his mom. "Hey," he said quietly. Regina refused to open her eyes, because if she did, she knew she'd see the image of a blonde woman running through her yard. That would mean that what had just happened... really happened. "Mom, she's getting away," Henry egged.

Regina recovered and launched herself through the front door after Emma. "Ms. Swan!" Emma'd made it to the corner stop sign when see heard her name. "Do you honestly think you can make a scene like that and then just- just walk away?!"

"Christ, I said I'm sorry," Emma mumbled as she faced the seething woman, the tears now gone.

Regina narrowed her cold eyes. "That's supposed to rectify the situation? Our son saw what went on in there!" Emma's grimace turned into a look of shock. "What now, Ms. Swan?"

"You just said 'our son.'"

"He is both of ours, yes," Regina squawked. She mentally reprimanding herself for the mistake she'd just made.

Emma moved in close and locked eyes with Regina. "Tell me you didn't feel anything. Tell me you didn't feel anything, and I'll go back to hating you." It was a lie, of course. Emma knew she'd never be able to hate the woman again.

Regina shook her head, a sarcastic smile spread across her face. "I didn't feel anything," she asserted.

"You're lying," Emma quipped.

"Excuse me?"

"You're lying. I don't care if you have magic or not, that doesn't make you a better liar."

"Ms. Swan-"

"My name is Emma. I'm not one of your servants or staff members."

Regina's anger boiled, "As long as we are on speaking terms, I will refer to you as I wish."

"No, you'll call me Emma," the blonde responded and matched Regina's bluff.

Regina became increasingly aware that, while it was dark out, they were still outside- out where others could see them. The temperature had dropped at least 20 degrees, and Regina felt goosebumps spread down her spine. Being slightly intoxicated, Emma made the bold move to shimmy her leather jacket off, and hang it over Regina's shoulders.

"I'm fine," Regina protested; she pushed a hand against the coat.

Emma maintained a steady grip on the material which made it hard for Regina to shrug it off. "It's getting cold. I'll walk you back home." Before Regina knew it, Emma was walking beside her, a hand still on her shoulder. Regina wanted to fight the woman, the contact she felt, but it was strangely comforting.

When they came back to the house, Henry was waiting patiently for his mothers in the same spot as when Regina left. In a bizarre twist of roles, Henry's body language mirrored that of a concerned parent, while the women looked like, slightly guilty, teenagers."You found her," Henry smiled.

Regina winced Henry's choice of words. As small as they sounded, they held a heavy history. Regina snatched the jacket off of her back and chucked it at Emma. "Henry, finish your food," she commanded. Henry sauntered into the other room, and Regina soon advanced on Emma. "I trust you can see yourself out."

Emma scoffed incredulously. "Seriously? You're gonna act like nothing happened?"

"And what did happen, Ms. Swan? Please, enlighten me," Regina kept her pokerface.

Emma didn't move, she held her gaze on the woman before her. "I know you felt that, Regina. I don't care how much you wanna deny it."

"Ms. Swan, you're walking on dangerously thin ice. If you want to keep your coveted position as Sheriff, I suggest you leave."

"No," Emma shot back.

"I beg your pardon?"

"I'm not going anywhere."

"In case you've forgotten, I have the upper hand here," Regina threatened.

"Your magic? I'm not afraid of what you can do, Regina." Emma stuck her chest out as she channeled her father's authoritative demeanor.

"Then what _are _you afraid of, Ms. Swan?"

Emma decreased the gap between them until she could hear the sound of Regina's heart. "I'm afraid of what you _won't_ do." Finally feeling like she'd said everything she wanted, Emma began to leave- for good this time.

As she passed through the front door, she heard a voice call out from behind her. "Tomorrow night," a hoarse Regina said. "Five o'clock. I'll be at Granny's with Henry. We always go there." And then the door closed. Emma smiled to herself; she'd gotten the answer she wanted.


	2. Date Night

Emma didn't tell her mother anything. No matter how many questions Snow asked, Emma kept her lips sealed. It only became difficult when her father joined in, but she held her ground. "At least tell us where you're going to be," Snow begged.

"Mary Margaret," Emma groaned, still unable to call the woman "Mom." "I'm going to be in town, I'll have my phone, and I'll come back before my curfew," she joked. Snow and David failed to see the humor at the idea of not knowing their daughter's whereabouts- their grown daughter who was the same age as they were.

"When will you be home, for real?" Snow asked.

"I'll text you and let you know, ok?" their child groaned. 28 years without parents, Emma wasn't used to having people so concerned for her safety. "Don't worry, guys, and don't stay up too late." She left her nervous parents at the table; left them to wait for her to come back.

* * *

Emma wasn't sure what to wear. It was kind of a date, but Henry was going to be there. She wanted to look hot, but not too hot for immature eyes. She was sure Regina would show up in one of her signature pantsuits. Emma finally went with the only button down shirt she owned and black slacks that she borrowed from Snow.

The whole walk to Granny's, Emma racked her brain for interesting conversation. Regina was the freaking mayor, what could Emma possibly say that would impress her? Talking to Henry was easy, no sweat. But, talking to the woman who cursed her family and the rest of the town... that was a bit nerve-wracking.

* * *

Regina tried to be as subtle as possible when picking out clothes for the dinner. Henry was super alert; he noticed every little move Regina made. At least, that's how she felt. When he asked if the night was a date, Regina waved a dismissive hand. "It's just a dinner." He didn't believe her, not for a second. Emma had been teaching Henry how to read body language when a person lied, and Regina was definitely lying.

The leader of Storybrooke settled on a gray suit and a purple, silk blouse. It was calm, not too eager; elegant, but not too showy. Yes, that was the perfect outfit. "Mom! We're gonna be late!" Henry called from the front door.

Regina made meaningful strides down the stairwell. "No need to yell, dear, I'm here. Don't forget your sweater."

"It's, like 80 degrees out!" Henry whined.

"And it'll get cold later, so bring your sweater."

* * *

Emma arrived first, even before Henry and Regina. She was never early for things. At 5:03, Emma began to worry they weren't coming. She felt foolish to even think that; she was a freakin' bounty hunter, dammit! She should be able to handle a date. The more she fretted, the faster her knee bounced under the table. When it became 5:06, Emma was relieved to see Henry and Regina walk through the door, the chimes that hung above it rang through the diner. Emma stood up politely, accepted a hug from Henry, and waited for Regina to take her seat. Henry choose to sit next to Regina and face Emma. He wore an excited smile, one neither women had seen in weeks.

"Can I get you guys some drinks?" Red asked, waiting at the end of the table. She eyed Regina suspiciously and wondered why she and Emma were sitting at the same table at the same time.

"Water, please," Regina said.

"Coke!" Henry answered.

"He'll have milk," Regina corrected.

Red turned to Emma. "Water's cool, thanks Red." The long-haired woman nodded and disappeared.

Henry looked from mom to mom and wondered who would talk first. "Guess what?" he piped.

"What?" Regina asked dryly.

"Chicken butt," Henry choked out between laughs. Emma couldn't help herself, she started cracking up.

Regina pouted slightly, "I fail to see the humor."

Emma stopped laughing long enough to explain. "'Butt' rhymes with 'what.'"

"Yes," Regina said. She understood as much.

"That's the joke. The kid acted like it was something serious, but it ended up just being a butt joke." Regina's lack of playfulness shook Emma slightly as she realized the sheltered life the woman had lived.

As if on cue, Red came back to the table with three glasses and placed them in front of the customers. "You guys know what you want?" The laughter hadn't distracted Red from observing Regina. No, she kept a watchful on the Evil Queen and dared her to make a move.

"Mom, can I get the spaghetti?" Henry asked politely.

"Sure," both of his mothers responded.

"Uh, sorry," Emma mumbled and looked down. A few days earlier, Regina would've bitten Emma's head off. Instead, she went with it.

"Spaghetti for Henry," Red said as she jotted it down. "And for the adults?"

"Just a salad," Regina answered stiffly.

"I'll have a burger and fries," Emma said.

"Got it. Food'll be out in a few minutes." Red took the menus off of the table and left.

Emma noticed Henry's composure shift, and immediately knew what was wrong. "Kid?"

Henry leaned forward and put his hands on the table, his head resting on them. Regina noticed it, too. "Henry, what's wrong?" Henry's sessions with Archie had been bumped to twice a week. While they helped some, Henry still had "episodes," as Regina called them. The young man's eyes closed momentarily and Regina laid a hand on his shoulder. "What are you doing?"

"I'm counting," he mumbled into his hand.

"You're what?"

"It's a little trick I taught him," Emma jumped in. "Whenever he misses Ne- his dad, I told him it helps to count."

Regina suddenly felt gratitude towards the blonde woman. She hadn been able to help Henry the way Regina couldn't; Emma could relate to him. They had lost the only other person who connected them. Regina knew she'd never truly be able to understand that. "What does it do, exactly?" she asked Emma.

The sheriff bit her lip, "I'm no doctor, but I read somewhere counting takes your mind of things. Like when you get mad, ya know? It's supposed to be calming or something."

Henry's eyes opened and he raised his head back up as he laid against Regina's shoulder. Henry hadn't even hugged her in previous few weeks, which caused Regina to feel as if he didn't want to be around her. "Mom," he croaked.

"Yes?" Regina shifted to wrap her arm around Henry.

"I'm not feeling that great," he said quietly.

The brunette touched his forehead with the knuckles of her hands. "You don't have a fever."

Emma watched, feeling slightly helpless. "We can get the food to go, if you want," she offered.

"Do you have a stomachache?" Regina questioned. Henry shook his head. "Earache?" Nope. "Headache?" Not that either. Regina came to the conclusion that Henry had a case of the blues, which was understandable. "I suppose we should ask Ms. Lucas to bring boxes with the plates."

"You two go ahead, I'll wait and wrap the food up. I, uh, can drop it off... if you want."

Regina was taken back by Emma's kind offer. "That would be fine. Let's go Henry, we'll put you to bed when we get home." Regina slid out of the booth, followed by Henry and Emma.

Before walking away, Henry hugged Emma. "I'm sorry I messed up your date," he muttered.

Emma gave her son a loving smile. "Don't worry about it, Kid. Love ya."

"Love you, too." Henry shuffled over to Regina and took her hand.

"I'll see you in a few," Emma told them. Several minutes later, Red came with their meals, a quizzical look on her face. "Uh, yeah, can we get some boxes?" Emma asked.

"Sure, if you tell me what the hell that was all about," Red said defiantly.

"Later? Please? Henry's not feeling well." At the mention of Henry, Red brought three styrofoam containers and dropped them onto the table in a matter of seconds.

* * *

Emma rang the doorbell and waited patiently on the front stoop. The light above the door was turned on and attracted dozens of winged insects. Regina opened the entryway and held an arm out, a signal for Emma to come in. "Henry's in his room. He's supposed to be asleep, but knowing him, he's probably listening at the top of the stairs," Regina guessed.

"He'll be ok," Emma nodded. "Oh, here," she added and passed the takeout boxes.

"Thank you." Regina paused before picking back up. "I could set out a couple of plates if you're still hungry."

Emma had resolved herself to the fact that their date was over when Regina and Henry had left the diner. This was a welcome amendment. "Yeah, sure."

"Follow me." Regina led the way into the next room. The last time Emma had been inside Regina's home was to announce her departure from Storybrooke, which resulted in Regina giving her a poisoned apple turnover that almost killed their son. The details of the interior decorations had slipped Emma's mind.

The dining room table was frosted glass and curved. Not a circle, exactly, but a square with two curved edges. The kitchen looked like one you'd see on "Top Chef:" multiple shelves for pots and pans, spice racks hanging over the oven, low kitchen counters, and a spacious sink. Emma wasn't surprised since she knew Regina loved to cook. "This is nice," the blonde said as craned her neck to get a better view of the room.

"Thank you. When I... arrived here, all of the structures and items in them were already established, save for a few spaces." Regina waited an extra second before she turned around, her cheeks slightly red.

Emma leaned forward on the marble counter, the overhead light that shone above her made her look, almost, angelic. "Can I ask you something?"

Regina sucked in a quiet breath, "I suppose."

Emma choose her words as carefully as she could, mindful of the fact that she wasn't known for her vocabulary. "Wasn't it lonely? I mean, no one new ever came or went, other than Greg and his father. Didn't it get boring to see the same faces every day?" She braced herself for the outburst that never came.

Regina answered truthfully, but careful not to seem too vulnerable. "I made the choice to bring us here. At the time, I wasn't aware of all of the... side effects, you could say. Not having a companion, I suppose, was my price." Neither one of them mentioned Graham.

Emma sat down across from Regina and passed the woman her food. "Do you ever regret it?" That was the one question Emma had always wanted to ask.

Regina then realized that that's where Henry got his fearlessness from; especially when asking blunt questions. Confident that Emma wouldn't share the information exchanged, Regina gave another honest answer. "I regret some of the things that happened as a result, yes."

"But not the actual curse?"

"Why does it matter?" Regina asked, her tone suddenly bitter.

Not wanting to admit that she was genuinely curious, Emma chose the next best- and honest- thing. "You want Henry to think you've changed, right? You want him to trust you? Then you've gotta be straightforward-"

"I don't believe my relationship with my son is any of your concern."

Emma put her burger down and wiped her fingers with a napkin. "Ok, first, he's _our_ son. And second, it's my concern because it affects Henry. The kid lost his father- a father he barely knew-"

"That was not my doing, Ms. Swan-"

"I'm not finished!" Emma snapped. "You were the first parent Henry ever knew. You can't teach a child to trust others if he can't even trust you!"

"And what would you know about raising a child? Hm? As I recall, you surrendered parental rights the moment you gave Henry up!"

A mixture of hurt, anger, embarrassment, and disbelief fell upon Emma's face. "This was a mistake," she exhaled as she pushed her plate away from her. "I- I shouldn't have come." The blonde sprinted out of the room and into the foyer, her hand reached for the door.

"Emma!" Henry cried from the stairs.

"You're supposed to be in bed," the blonde scolded as she slowly rotated her body.

"I- I was, then I heard yelling."

"No lying, Kid. You were there the whole time, weren't you?" Emma leaned her head up the stairs and saw Henry's shadow.

"Can you say goodnight to me before you leave?" Henry asked. He suddenly sounded very young.

Emma could never refuse her son, no matter how hard she tried, no matter what the situation. Without asking for Regina's permission, Emma marched up the stairs and towards Henry. "Fine, but you gotta go to sleep for real."

"I will!" he promised. In the dark hallway, Emma felt a small hand slip into hers and pull her forward.

The light was on in Henry's room, proof that he hadn't been in there at all. His bed was neatly made, and the sheets were covered in pictures of old race cars and army planes. Through it all, Emma smiled to herself despite the preceding moments. As she examined the rest of his room, she knew Henry had a good life with Regina, regardless of the previous couple of years. It was proof that Regina cared deeply for him, and wanted him to be as comfortable as possible. Henry tucked himself into his bed and pulled the covers up to his chin. "You ready, Kid?" Emma had quickly learned his bedtime routine after he spent the night at her apartment. Pulling her long hair back, Emma leaned over Henry and placed a gentle kiss smack-dab in the middle of his forehead. "'Night, Henry. Get some sleep, ok?"

"'Night, Ma," Henry yawned.

Emma tilted her head to the side, "What'd you call me?"

"Ma," Henry said sheepishly. "You know, the other half of Emma. Ma... Is that ok?"

She felt her heart quicken in pace as she grinned at the boy, "That's cool. Now go to sleep!" Emma put a hand on the light switch and waited until Henry stopped kicking the sheets to turn them off.

When she arrived back downstairs, Regina was standing there, tapping her foot. "Emma," she started. "I- I need to apologize for what I said before. It wasn't fair."

Emma's heart did backflips at the mention of her first name. "No, you were right. It wasn't my place. I'm sorry."

The two women stood opposite each other, a moment of awkward silence cut the room in half. "I lied to you last night," Regina confessed. "I didn't tell you the truth when you asked for it." If this is what Emma thought it was, she held her breath in anticipation. "When you kissed me, I felt something, as you put it. I've noticed the way you handle Henry and his episodes, and I wanted to thank you. He's been unpredictable lately. I'm grateful he has you to talk to."

Emma knew it hadn't been easy for the mayor to admit such things out loud, probably not even to herself. That's why she didn't push her, already, thin luck. "It's no problem. It's not easy losing someone."

"No, it's not," Regina said wistfully. "You also asked me if I ever regret the choice I made, and you deserve a fair answer. I don't regret the part where Henry came into my life; I never have. Through it all- the crying, the colds, the tantrums- I have never regretted a moment of it. However, I do regret the result it had on your life. In a way, though, had you not come through the wardrobe, you never would have met Neal and you never would have had Henry... if that's any consolation," Regina added weakly.

Emma looked up the dark stairs and smiled. "It kinda is."

"Well, I just thought you should know."

"'Ppreciate it." Emma gave Regina genuine grin, one that melted the other woman's heart. "I should get going." Regina opened the door for Emma and turned the outside light on. "Before I leave-" Emma turned and planted a gentle kiss on the brunette's unsuspecting lips. "That was for before; the kiss that should've happened. Not the half drunk one," Emma chuckled. "Good night, Regina."

Emma left the stunned mayor standing in her own doorway. As she exited through the gate, Emma Swan was absolutely sure of two things: one, she was going to have to tell her parents about Regina. And, two, Emma's heart belonged to Regina Mills, whether the other woman knew it or not.

* * *

Regina began to recover only after she closed the door. This time when she leaned against the wall, her son wasn't there to give her a suspicious look. He was upstairs, safe in his bed. Resting her head against the plastered surface, Regina knew two things were definite: one, her life had just changed forever. And, two, her once lonely heart belonged to Emma Swan, whether the other woman knew it or not. Though, knowing the degree of Emma's ego, she bet the blonde already knew.

For both women, that date- or whatever you wish to call it- started something. For them, it was just the beginning.


End file.
